Demands – trebuchet, also trebuchet (from the French trébuchet -” scales with a yoke “) – a medieval throwing machine of gravitational action for the siege of cities. In Russia, such stone throwers were called porokami (derived from the word “sling”). In Soviet military-historical science, another name for this type of siege engines was used – frondibale (fr. Frondibale, from fronde – “sling” and other Greek βάλλω, ball «-” throw “,” sword “). However, this term was rarely used in the Middle Ages, practically does not occur in modern Western literature, and under the influence of this it was supplanted from use by the term “trebuchet” (“trebuchet”). The first information about a throwing machine, similar in principle to a trebuchet, is found in China in the 5th century BC. NS. in the works of the ancient Chinese philosopher Mo Di, however, it cannot be said with certainty that the construction described by him reproduces the classical trebuchet. It remains unknown when the trebuchets first appeared in Europe. The first known mention of the prototype of the trebuchet contains the work of the Archbishop of Thessaloniki John “Miracles of St. Demetrius”, compiled in 610-620.